Recently, there has been significant growth in the use and advancement of virtual reality, augmented reality, and similar near-eye products. Common virtual reality uses include video gaming, movies, amusement ride simulators, and the like. While the popularity is driven by entertainment, the products also serve functions in training and education. For example, virtual reality headsets may be used for flight simulation training, surgery simulation for physicians, technology in the traditional classroom to spark student interest in a subject, and the like.
One current method of producing a virtual reality simulation is the use of a headset. The headset generally contains a display with lenses placed between the eyes and display. The display may be inserted by a user, for example, the user may insert a smartphone, tablet, or other display device, in a display holder on the virtual reality headset. Alternatively, the virtual reality headset may include the display as a manufactured part of the headset. The lenses within the headset serve to focus and reshape the image perceived by the eyes. In this manner, a 3-dimensional image is formed from 2-dimensional images displayed on the display screen.
Wearing corrective lenses in conjunction with near-eye displays presents many problems. For example, if a user wears corrective eyeglasses, the eyeglasses may become scratched by the lenses or other parts of the virtual reality headset. Additionally, depending on the size of the corrective eyewear, the eyewear may not physically fit within the virtual reality headset, for example, due to oversized corrective lenses or frames, small virtual reality headset openings, and the like. Additionally, due to the distance between the eyewear and the near-eye display of the virtual reality headset, the user's ability to focus on the objects may be hampered. For example, users that wear contacts often report problems when using near-eye displays because contacts do not allow a user to focus well on objects close to the eye.
What is needed is a way for users that require corrective lenses to use near-eye displays, such as a virtual reality headset, without wearing corrective eyeglasses or contacts.